The Rime of the Ancient Mariner p. 422

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The Rime of the Ancient Marinerp. 422
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Form

• Ballad
• Medieval form of poetry intended to be sung
• Narrative poem in short stanzas
• Uses repetition of words and sounds (alliteration
  and assonance) for dramatic effect
• Balladic effects enhance sense of spiritual
  stagnation/isolation

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Form

• Seven-Part Structure
• SevenBiblical number of completion
• Traces spiritual cycle of crime, punishment,
  redemption
• Mariner as Christ figurebringing spiritual truth
  to community

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Form

• Frame Narrative
• Provides credibility through real-world
  settingwedding feast
• Provides credibility through everyman
  characterwedding guest

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Form

• Frame Narrative
• Provides credibility through real-world
  settingwedding feast
• Provides credibility through everyman
  characterwedding guest
• Introduces themes of central narrativecommunity
  vs. individualism/isolation

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Central Narrative Setting

• Community
• Village and church
• Spiritual and physical communion left behind
• Individual ambition vs. community

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Setting

• Stormy Sea
• Drives ship to South Pole
• Spiritual turmoil leading to isolation

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Setting

• AntarcticSouth Pole
• Cold, ice
• Isolation
• Stagnation

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Setting

• Equator
• Hot, withering
• Thirst
• Stagnation

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Setting

• Return to Community and Broader World
• Pilot and Pilots Boyhorrors of human evil
• Hermitpersonal expiation
• Tale told from land to landhuman redemption,
  community

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Characters/Creatures

• Albatross
• Bird of good omen for sailors
• Rescues ship from isolation
• Symbolizes redemptive force of community
• Christ symbollove and sacrifice

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Characters/Creatures

• Why did the Mariner kill the Albatross?
• Jealousy?
• Selfish ambition/desire for independence?
• Defiance of God and community?
• Irrational, destructive act representing human
  capacity for evil

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Characters/Creatures

• Ships Crew
• Blame Mariner
• Blame Albatross
• Represent Mariners guilt, isolationhuman guilt,
  isolation

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Characters/Creatures

• Death and Life-In-Death
• Sunset/Darknessapproaching spiritual death
• Curse in dead crewmens eyesguilt
• Life-In-Deathpunishment for willful isolation

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Characters/Creatures

• Water Snakes/Ocean Creatures
• Mariner recognizes he is not alone
• Represent love community of all living things
• Bring spiritual communion (blessing, prayer) and
  redemption

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Characters/Creatures

• Angelic Spirits
• Animate bodies of dead crewmen
• Return ship to community
• Light imageryspiritual enlightenment
• Represent desire for community, recognition of
  unity with Gods creation

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